When Can I See You Again?
by Aline Banhara
Summary: This is another fanfic for RobertSophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!
1. When Can I See You Again?

**Disclaimer and Author Note**

I own neither "The Da Vinci Code" nor any of its characters. No infringement is intended.

I shall warn you that some parts of this story contain M rated theme. I'll put lemony warning whenever I post something that reaches this rating patamar, so those who think will feel offended shouldn't read those specific parts. I rated this fic T because most of it doesn't contain inappropriate scenes. Let me know if you don't agree.

One last thing I want you to know is that I'm Brazilian. Thus, English is not my native language, my vocabulary isn't as good as yours, and some grammar mistakes may appear. I ask you to forgive me in advance.

If you find any kind of mistake let me know so I'll able to correct myself.

That's all. Let's go to the story itself, and have fun!

Aline.

P.S. This story is already fully written, so I'll try to update on a daily basis if I feel you are enjoying it.

**Summary:** This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**Chapter One: When Can I See You Again? **

"When can I see you again?" Sophie had asked after placing a soft kiss on Langdon's cheek.

It had just dawned on her that he was going to leave the following day. She hated the thought. After spending with him what seemed an endless series of events, going from horror and ignorance to surprise, shock and understanding with his help, she realized how much her life had changed in all possible ways in a matter of hours. What would have happened hadn't he agreed to follow her instructions that fateful day? No matter how much time she spent pondering this question, Sophie simply couldn't picture anything different from what have happened to them. The same way she knew the riddle wouldn't have been solved without him, she couldn't imagine her life without Robert anymore.

"_Sophie, you are out of your mind,"_ she had told herself while gazing at the horizon from the peaceful spot she shared with Langdon at that small rise on the bluff just outside the Rosslyn Chapel. _"You barely know this man." _A voice inside her head had told her it wasn't really true. She had known him for mere 24 hours at most. Nonetheless it felt like it was months, even years. After all, the events they had gone through together were to be a lifetime experience, something most people wouldn't even imagine possible. It had surely created a very strong bond between the two. Even then she had asked herself if it was reasonable to feel that way. No matter what, beyond reason, she knew the feeling was there. Reasonable or not. She only hoped Robert felt the same.

Langdon hadn't even had time to savor the sensation Sophie's lips had left on him. He knew this question would come. He had been wondering the same, trying to think of something he could say that wouldn't sound too desperate. He was utterly sad to have to leave Sophie. How could he return to Paris without her? He didn't want to say goodbye. A glint of hope arose inside him when he remembered the conference that would take place in Florence within a month. He knew that it would be the perfect occasion to meet Sophie again. He just didn't know how to put his thoughts into words. He wanted more than anything to ask her to come with him, but how could he make the invitation seem perfectly natural? What if she didn't feel the same? Fortunately she saved him the problem. And the most important: she wanted to meet him again!

Langdon looked deeply into Sophie's eyes, as if making sure she really meant what she was saying. Had she noticed he had been wondering the same thing? "When?"

Sophie waited, asking herself why the professor seemed so uncomfortable. Would he want to meet her again? A brief moment of anxiety was relieved when he finally answered.

"Well, actually, next month I'm lecturing at a conference in Florence. I'll be there a week without much to do."

"Is that an invitation?" she asked half surprised half delighted.

"_Now you've done it, you fool. You ruined everything. What will she think of you?" _Maybe he could still mend it"We'd be living in luxury. They are giving me a room at the Brunelleschi." Sophie's expression was still unfathomable. _"No, look what you've done now! We'd be living in luxury!"_ That had sounded awful.

Fortunately Sophie didn't agree. Even then she wanted to play with him a little. "You presume a lot, Mr. Langdon."

He was helpless. "What I meant-"

"I would love nothing more than to meet you in Florence, Robert."

"_Has she said what I listened or I'm just imagining things?" _

"But with one condition," she said serious.

"_That was too good to be true."_

"No museums, no churches, no tombs, no art, no relics."

Langdon sighed relieved. _"What then?" _"In Florence? For a week? There's nothing else to do," he stated, playing the innocent. _"Unless you want-"_

Sophie's response came come in a way Langdon hadn't expected. Her actions had been faster than his thoughts. All of sudden she had leaned forward to bring her lips against his. Only that time he had time to respond. _"Her lips feel so soft!"_ He seized her gently and brought their bodies together. Both felt the instantaneous chemistry that made them deepen their contact and not want to let the other go. It was Sophie who broke the kiss.

The faint disappointment Landon felt when she pulled away was washed away as he looked at her and understood perfectly what she was thinking right then. Her eyes couldn't have lied. He took Sophie's tiny hands in his and managed to speak. "Right. It's a date."

That moment had taken place nearly one month before, but Sophie never got tired of recollecting it over and over. Never a month had passed so slowly. No matter how hard she tried to concentrate on other things, she couldn't help looking at the calendar every couple of hours and cursing the time that seemed to be fooling her. Finally the day had arrived when she would see Robert again. Despite her anxiety, she managed to rest a bit on the plane that took her to Florence. She was supposed to arrive there half an hour after Langdon. They would meet at the airport. _"He can be anywhere now,"_ she thought excited, an eye on the baggage carousel and the other on her surroundings. Why was her luggage taking so long to show up? It seemed everyone had collected their things except her. "Merde!

"A Princess shouldn't curse."


	2. The Brunelleschi

Thank you for everyone who reviewed. I'll keep posting!

Lory: I'm glad I have an Italian reader. There are some bits of Italian in the next chapter. I hope I got them right!

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Two: The Brunelleschi**

With nerves on the edge, Sophie turned, ready to face whoever it was. "Who are-"

"Don't you recognize me anymore?"

She couldn't believe her eyes. "Oh, Robert!"

Langdon took an overwhelmed Sophie in his arms and smiled.

"I'm sorry, I was just-" she started, still buried in his grasp.

But she wasn't allowed to speak. "There is no need to apologize, Sophie," Langdon assured. "But really, you shouldn't go cursing like that," he said. She hadn't seen his grin. "And by the way, your luggage is right over here."

"What?" she asked surprised, finally freeing herself from his arms. "You didn't do that!"

For a fraction of second he thought she was going to hit him, but then she let out a loud laugh. "Really, Robert!"

He still didn't know how to interpret her reaction. The way she acted didn't leave a clue as to whether or not she was mad at him because of his little prank.

"What are you waiting for? Shall we go?" Sophie called, holding her suitcase with one hand and stretching out the other for him to catch. _"Men."_

Confused, Robert fetched his belongings, took her hand and led her along the large airport hallways. She had thought that, like ordinary people, they would simply take a cab and head to the hotel. But they were no ordinary people. And we are not talking about Sophie's ascendency here. This time Robert was the noble one. There was a black car and a driver in an elegant uniform waiting for them at the parking lot. Langdon had told Sophie that the organizers of this kind of conference used to treat the lecturers like kings, but she could swear he was exaggerating a bit. She felt a chill go up her spine just to imagine how their hotel room would be like. _"What is the hotel name again?" _

"The Brunelleschi, right," Robert spoke while the driver put their luggage in the trunk.

Sophie wondered if she had thought out loud. She was sure she hadn't, though. "Excuse me?"

He didn't understand her astonishment. "I told you they were going to put me at the Brunelleschi."

"No. I mean, yes, you told me, but…" Then it dawned on her. Langdon hadn't been talking to her. "Never mind. It was just a coincidence," she said, taking her place on the backseat. Puzzled, he followed her.

The way to the hotel wasn't long, but it lasted long enough for Langdon to recollect some of the events he had gone through the previous year. Sophie noticed how quiet he had gone. Only she thought it was due to the beauty they saw through the dark glasses of the cab windows. Even though they had talked about his adventure in Italy, he hadn't mentioned all the details. It was better that way.

"Robert, it's only a date, remember?" Sophie said playfully and nudged him. "No tourism."

"I know, Princess," he smiled, putting his arm around her shoulders and pulling her closer to him.

Ten minutes later the driver announced they had reached their destination. Sophie was amazed by how beautiful the Brunelleschi's façade looked. She must have let it show, for Langdon replied as if he had read her mind.

"Wait till you see inside."

Sophie simply smiled, extremely happy to be in such a special place with such a special person.

"I leave you here, Mr. Langdon. Enjoy your stay in Florence," the driver said, bringing his hat to his chest.

Langdon thanked the man and took Sophie's hand in his. They were welcomed by a concierge, who fetched their belongings and told them the suitcases were going to be taken to their suite. After checking in they took the lift to the last floor, where the best suites were localized. The lift was so big that Robert didn't regret not taking the stairs instead. Sophie's being there must have helped, too. Amazingly, their things were already in the room when they arrived. This time it wasn't only Sophie's jaw that dropped. Robert was impressed with the luxury. The studio of the Jr. suite was bigger than many of the hotel rooms he had seen. It was decorated in rich tones with antique-style dark-wooded furniture. What they saw in the bedroom room wasn't different. Apart from the king-size bed, there were black-out drapes, a large desk, a big television and a minibar. The marble bathroom had a huge bath and mirrors all over the walls.

"That's too much!"

"You see, Sophie, we won't need to leave this room," he joked.

"Robert!"

"_Great, there you go again."_

After a moment of awkwardness Sophie spoke again. "You can't simply not show up at the conference."

He laughed relieved. "I know, but my lecture will be only on Tuesday. We still have two lazy days before that."

Sophie grinned. She couldn't imagine a lazy Robert.

"Alright, I promise we'll have lots to do in Florence," he said and sat close to her on that large bed.

"We could start by unpacking, what do you think?" she suggested before things got awkward again.

"Do we really have to?" he asked.

"Yes, professor. But before that I need a hot shower."

Suddenly Langdon's stomach made him realize he hadn't eaten for hours. Even Sophie heard the grunt and stopped going through her luggage to look at him. "What time is it?" she inquired.

"Mickey says it's 5 p.m. Don't you want to go out to eat something first? We missed lunch, and I'm afraid dinner won't be served anytime soon."

"I'm sure it can wait a little while, Robert. I really need this shower. I won't be long," she stated, leaving no room for discussion.

He observed as she disappeared inside the bathroom. The noise from the water washed away from Robert's mind any thought of food. Instead, he imagined himself in the bathroom with Sophie. At the same second he cursed himself for having this kind of thought. Even though Langdon knew he couldn't speed up things between them, he simply couldn't help it. Forcing himself to concentrate on other things, he proceeded to unpack. He had new jeans and shirt on and his clothes had all been properly organized when the water finally stopped falling.

"_You won't be long, eh? Women are the same everywhere,"_ he thought amused.

Langdon couldn't help staring at Sophie when she emerged from the bathroom. She wore simple jeans and a white blouse, and her wet hair was moving freely as she walked in his direction. Her style was plain, yes, but it only made her beauty stand out.

She felt his heavy eyes on her. "It's your turn, Robert," she said touching his arm and bringing him back to Earth.

"Alright. I'll only splash some water on my face."

"Good. I'm starting to feel hungry too."

"Won't you unpack?"

"Later."


	3. Second Dates

**Once again, thank you for all you reviews. They keep me going!**

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Three: Second Dates**

Ten minutes later they were in the Hotel Lobby again.

"Where do you want to go, Sophie?"

"You are the guide here, Robert. I know nothing about Florence." She enlaced his arm, hoping he wouldn't mind. "All I know is that Italian food is one of the best."

Langdon squeezed her hand. "How big is your hungry, then?"

"I could eat quite a lot, Professor."

She always called him that way when she wanted to tease him. He thought it was extremely cute.

"So I suggest we forget the Brunelleschi cousine for tonight," he suggested. "You won't regret."

She was curious. "Where are we going?"

"Trust me," he said mysterious. Langdon was clever. While she was in the shower he had called the reception and asked where he could find a restaurant that was within walking distance from the hotel, the food was excellent, the service outstanding, the ambience nice, and the wine assortment good.

They stepped out in the summer Florentine night, enjoying each other's company and telling themselves how lucky they were to be able to spend such tender moments together. They could stay like that forever, but their stomach urged them to find that restaurant quickly. When they arrived at the Natalino, Langdon asked for a table outside. There was only another young couple there; they would be able to talk without being disturbed. After pulling the chair for Sophie to seat he took his place across from her.

"I heard this place is very famous for the Florentine steak," he said. "Unless you want to try some of their homemade pasta."

"How do you know these things, Robert?" she inquired suspicious. "You told me you had never come to Florence."

"I haven't, but I have my sources," he said, blinking at her intrigued face. "So, what will we have?"

"I think I'll stick to the pasta."

"Alright, I'm with you."

The waiter came and took note of their order, which was added of a wine Sophie had recommended.

"There is nothing like dating a Frenchwoman," Langdon whispered mischievously, making her blush.

"_We are dating? Of course you are, Sophie, you said that yourself!" _

Upon her discomfort, he reached out to her hands. He thought it was the perfect time to tell her how thankful he was that she had accepted to join him during that week. "Thank you, Sophie, for accepting my invitation," he said truly glad, what showed in his sparkling eyes.

Her uneasiness disappeared. "It's me who should thank you, Robert. I'm serious, this means a lot to me."

"Sophie."

They didn't talk much for the following hour. It was mainly thoughts that came and went while they ate and drank. But Robert couldn't let the opportunity slip to say how appropriate her choice about the wine had been. He wondered where she had gotten that sort of knowledge from. He didn't need to ask.

"My Grandfather always knew the perfect combination of food and wine," she said melancholically.

It had been a month since Jacques Sauniére died. It's true she hadn't spoken to him for a while, but, instead of easing her pain, those recollections only increased her regret. She hoped her pain would heal with time. It all had happened too recently, though. At least she had Robert to make her feel better. That's why the month she spent apart from him had been so difficult. There was nobody to sooth her, nobody she could turn to in the worst moments. Her Grandmother and brother had helped while she was in Scotland, but after a week she was in Paris again, living as she had lived for the past years, buried in her solitude. It was beyond her comprehension how she had lost and found a dear one in exactly the same day. She was not going to be the one to question this _"divine?"_ intervention.

It was almost 9 p.m. when Langdon paid the bill after refusing Sophie's offer to pay her half. It wasn't late at all, but both felt extremely tired, so they decided to head back to the Hotel. It seemed Sophie had drunk a bit more wine than she was used to. When that happened, instead of being high, speaking and laughing loud, she became even more introvert and lost some of that energy Langdon so much admired.

"I'm so cold," she said shivering.

Langdon didn't have any coat, either. As he couldn't help Sophie with clothing, he enlaced her and brought her closer to him.

"Better?"

She simply nodded and rested her head against his chest. This time they took a bit longer to reach their destination. There was no need to hurry. Besides, the night was too nice to be wasted. Therefore they walked slowly, letting the soft breeze blow on their faces and warming up into each other's arms. The Italian receptionist gave them their Magnetic Key Card and they headed to their suite, with seemed even cozier now. Langdon's thoughts went to that king-sized bed. He hadn't really thought about the fact that the bed was very wide, yes, but it was only one. He wondered if Sophie wouldn't mind that. Anyway, if it was the case, there was always the comfortable sofa in the studio for him to sleep on. He noticed she was looking at the bed too. Maybe she was pondering the same thing.

"Sophie, the bed," he began.

She sat on a nearby couch. "What's it with the bed?" she asked, kicking her shoes aside.

"Well, I don't you if you…I mean-"

"What's the problem, Robert?" She was amused with his uneasiness.

"You know, I could sleep on the sofa."

She smiled and stood up. "Don't be silly, Robert. Do you think I would let you sleep in another room?" she inquired in a provocative tone. _"Hell, he hadn't even kissed you yet! What's up?"_

"Sophie."

She walked up to him, and, when they were mere inches away from each other, she spoke. "Robert, is it what you really want, to sleep on the sofa?" She was touching his shoulders now.

Their proximity was almost suffocating. "Of course not. It's just-"

But he didn't have time to finish. Like she had done on that night in Scotland, she leaned in and their lips met in a kiss that started soft but got more intense as the seconds went by. Langdon enlaced her tiny body and held her tightly against him.

As they parted Sophie rested her head on his chest, feeling extremely gleeful. "That's good for a start," she teased, looking deeply into his eyes. She would have continued if she wasn't so tired. Regretful, she freed herself from his arms.

He looked at her asking for more, but he could tell that, like himself, she needed a good rest. "There is an entire week ahead." This was the thought that kept him from grasping her arms and pulling her to him again. "You are amazing Sophie," he said marveled. "I ask myself why I took so long to find you."

"I would think it was because we live on different continents, Professor."

This line struck both of them with the same intensity. Sophie had just said a terrible true. But it shouldn't spoil anything.

"Maybe. That's still a big problem, isn't it?" he asked gloom. How could they find a solution for it? _"But hey, take it easy, who told you she would like to live in the same continent as you?_"

"_What does he mean? Does he want to put an end to the problem? Or it's just a realization and we can't do anything about that?" _They would have to talk about the issue later. Sophie touched his face. "Yes, Robert, but it's much too late to go into all that, don't you think so?"

"You're right. We'd better get ourselves ready to bed or we'll collapse," he said playfully, getting a nod from her. They both knew there was some true in his statement. "I'm going to have a quick shower."

Her thoughts wandered while she heard the water and unpacked her things, putting her clothes carefully along Robert's in the cupboard. It was a strange feeling. She had never shared a cupboard with a man before. What that meant? She felt so complete with Robert. What if he was the one? Was it too soon to say so? Though she couldn't tell, there was one thing she was sure of: she wouldn't mind moving to America with him if he invited her. What was the use of living in Paris alone? She had nobody there now that her Grandfather was gone. Her own experience in the last three weeks hadn't been a good one. But then there was her family in Scotland. Despite the fact that they were loved ones, she couldn't imagine herself living with them, not in that place so distant from the style of life she was used to. She had lived her whole life in Paris, a big city full of different people, the center of cultural life, where everything happened. That's the kind of thing she wasn't ready to give up. _"Boston is a place where I would definitely feel at home."_ This moment the water stopped. _"Sophie, stop dreaming."_

Robert emerged from the bathroom in one of those over-sized hotel bathrobes.

"I forgot my pajamas here," he explained.

They were just beside her dressing gown. "I know," she laughed, fetching their sleeping clothes. He handed him a dark blue shirt and dark blue pants and headed to the bathroom to get ready for bed.

"Thank you!" he said as she closed the door behind her.

"You're welcome!" she shouted from behind the door.

If Langdon's face wasn't buried in a book when she returned some minutes later, his jaw would probably have dropped. She was wearing a dressing gown that revealed most of her curves, which were perfect. He still could see some as her sitting on the bed brought his attention to her. He was amazed all the same.

Sophie liked what she saw on his expression. This time she didn't feel uneasy. "That book must be really interesting."

"Not really," he said and put the book aside on the nightstand. "You are much more interesting."

She couldn't hide a grin. "Am I?" she asked, making herself comfortable under the heavy covers.

"Certainly."

Langdon finally managed to muster some courage to seize Sophie and bring her in a passionate kiss, which she immediately responded to.

"You have your qualities too, Professor," she said when they broke contact.

He pulled her closer, and she cuddled up to him, never letting go of his hand, a smile plastered on her face. He gently started to play with her hair, which felt so soft between his fingers, and smelled so good. They were both sure that their first day together couldn't have been better. At the perfect pace, things were warming up between them. Not too fast not too slowly.

Some long minutes had passed by when Langdon spoke again. "You know what I was thinking, Sophie?" But she didn't answer. "Sophie?" Silence again. He looked down at her and saw her closed eyes. _"Sleeping beauty."_ He had never felt so happy with someone before. Never looking at a sleeping woman had brought him such peace. He didn't deny there was something more than special going on between them. _"What if she is the one?"_ He was pretty sure she was. _"Would she ever want to move in with me?"_ He let his thoughts wander until his tiredness started to get the better of him.

"Good night, Princess Sophie," he whispered and placed a kiss on the top of her head. He laid down making his best not to wake her and, the moment his head hit the pillow, all thoughts were washed away from his mind as he joined Sophie into her peaceful sleep.


	4. Outburst

**I'm glad you are having as much fun reading this story as I had writing it. Keep reviewing!**

**Warning: this chapter contains M rated stuff. Read at your own risk! **

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Four: Outburst**

It took Langdon some seconds to realize where he was when he awoke the following morning. But when he saw Sophie still asleep, curled up under the covers beside him, he realized he hadn't been dreaming. The events of the past day had all been perfectly true. If she wasn't asleep he could have sung, regardless of his terrible voice and tune. After spending good minutes staring at her beautiful figure he decided it was time to move. Despite his effort not to disturb her, he was pulled back and landed on the bed again when he tried to stand.

"Where do you think you are going, Professor?" a hoarse voice asked.

Langdon flattened his messy hair and looked back at her. "Have someone ever told you you look beautiful even when you are totally disgruntled?"

"Actually yes," she said, straightening herself up.

"_Does it mean I'm not the first to awake beside her?" _

In fact, none of Sophie's previous boyfriends, which weren't many, had ever told her how beautiful she was. That was just another thing that made Robert different from the others.

"My Grandfather used to say that all the time," she explained.

He gave her a peck on the nose. "He was right you know?" She smiled. "May I go now?"

In less than thirty minutes they were downstairs eating, stuffing themselves with that wonderful Italian breakfast. As Langdon had promised Sophie, they weren't going to visit museums, churches and places of the sort, they simply spent time walking trough some of the Florentine streets, which were, per si, open door museums.

The midday sun made them feel a little dizzy, so they stopped in a park and sat on a bench to rest. Langdon took Sophie's hand and imagined how wonderful it would look with a ring. They hadn't been there for more than five minutes when a little boy unwillingly disturbed their conversation.

"Ouch!" Langdon had been hit by a ball.

Sophie didn't know if she laughed, helped him or scolded the poor boy. Instinctively her hand was already on the hit spot when the child came, terrified.

"_Mi dispiace, Signori!" _

"What is the brat saying?"

"He is apologizing Robert, don't be too hard on him!" she replied cross, wondering if it was the way he used to treat children.

"Okay," he sighed and gave the ball back to the boy, his lips forming an awkward smile.

Sophie was satisfied that Robert had redeemed himself. The boy observed the two with a curious look, wondering why they were saying so strange words. She noticed the child wouldn't move. _"Sta bene, bambino," _she said, getting an intrigued look from the boy_. "Ma attenzione il prossimo tempo."_

He nodded and run away, happy he had gotten his ball back.

"I didn't know you spoke Italian," Langdon said amazed, asking himself what other of her secrets he was yet to discover.

But she was modest. "Just a few words."

He didn't care; it didn't make her a bit less awesome. He loved how she kept surprising him. They returned to the Hotel to have lunch. It was incredible how much you felt hungry in Italy! The food at the Brunelleschi was as tasty as the food they had eaten at the Natalino. As it was usual in the country, after lunch they went to their room to have the famous _"siesta."_ But they didn't sleep at all.

In fact, Robert wanted do take a final look at his presentation. He always changed something in the last minute.

"Sophie, are you sure you don't mind if I spend some time working on it?" Langdon wanted to know. The last thing he wanted was to make their moments together boring.

"Only if you let me see you working," she played.

For the next hour or so, while Robert typed on his notebook, spoke to himself here and there, typed again and spoke once more, Sophie crawled up on the bed, laid on her stomach and observed him. Two or three times he wanted to know her opinion about something and she proudly told him what she thought or how he could rewrite a line to make the topic seem more interesting.

"Hey, I don't want you to spoil the surprise!" Langdon exclaimed and covered the screen when she threatened to get a bit closer to him.

She retreated. "Silly! Have I ever told you I read your book?"

"You did?" he turned surprised, forgetting about his presentation. "I thought you didn't know me when we first met."

"And you were right. I read it later," she explained.

He was about to ask her something, but she hadn't intended to divert his attention. The sooner he finished his work the better.

"We can discuss it later, Robert. I don't want to be a distraction for you."

"Too late," he said playful, but returned to his notebook.

Sophie silently came to him from behind his back when she heard him sigh as he closed the computer. "Need some relaxing now?" she asked, bringing her hands to his shoulders in a provocative way.

Langdon closed his eyes and enjoyed her touch. "You are spoiling me."

"Does it mean you like it?"

Instead of replying, he got up and turned to face those delicate features he would never get tired of. "I like everything that comes from you."

Langdon seized Sophie, who let herself get lost in his arms while resting her head against his chest. Gently cupping her chin, he brought her tender lips in another intense kiss. She enlaced his neck and deepened the overwhelming contact. Both of them felt an incredible weightlessness, as if any moment they would start to fly. At the same time, while her lips parted and their tongues mangled, her entire body started to burn. He held her tighter and their kiss became even more passionate.

After several minutes, as they pulled apart to catch their breath, Langdon thought it was the perfect moment to let Sophie know how he felt about her. He mustered some courage and whispered in her ear, "I'm hopelessly in love with you."

Even though she had guessed he was going to say something along the line soon, she couldn't have predicted the emotion that took over her when she heard those words from his mouth.

"Sophie, are you crying?" His arm came warmly round her waist and he kissed the tear away.

"Never mind me, Robert," she smiled awkward. "I still can't believe it's happening to me. All time I ask myself when I'm going to wake up on that cold bed in Paris."

"Sophie." He pulled her even closer. "You are not dreaming. We are not dreaming."

"I love you too, Robert."

LEMON WARNING!

Langdon held his chin softly against the top of her head, letting her words slowly take in, savoring each of them. He was so happy to know Sophie felt the same way about him. Lost in his thoughts and not wanting that moment to end, he was caught a bit off guard when she pulled him down again and pressed her lips hard against his. It took him a fraction of second to respond to the kiss, but when he did it was once more full of passion.

Despite the difficult moments Sophie had gone through in the recent past, in that moment she could have said that her life was perfect. After all, she was with the man she had grown to love so much, he loved her back, and they were going to spend a whole week together in a marvelous city. All these things crossed her mind in a flash as she opened her mouth to kiss him. Their surroundings dissolved, the world was theirs. Sophie rubbed his chest and her fingers lingered for a while on his neck before reaching his back. She hugged him hard, and he responded embracing her even harder, never interrupting their mouth contact.

Their interaction was so intense that it was like they were living their last day. Things had never gotten so hot between them; both new that and didn't want to stop. Even so Langdon wanted to make sure Sophie was comfortable. He didn't need to ask, for before he could find the best way to put the question she started to unbutton his shirt, keeping her eyes on him as a small smile formed on her face. He smiled back and reached under her blouse, trailing a path with his fingers, up and down her small back. Once she was done with the buttons he got rid off the clothing, getting a look of admiration from her. Blushing, she asked him to help her take off that lovely blouse and he immediately obeyed. Langdon let Sophie guide him to the bed as he stared marveled at her.

"You are so beautiful," he said as she laid on her back and felt his soft touch on her delicate skin.

She rose, gave him a peck on the lips and laid down again. "And you are way too handsome, Professor."

He bent down, rested his hands on her sides and sought her mouth once more. He then started to caress her belly and the region between her breasts, making her shiver. After a while she grasped his hand and made him stop.

He looked puzzled at her but didn't protest while she provocatively kissed his ear and made her way down his neck, tracing a line up his back with his fingers. Her other hand touched his belt and began to unbuckle it.

"May I?" she teased.

He caught her hand. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Sophie disposed Langdon from his pants and tantalized him by bringing his hands to the stripes of her bra. He gently slid them down while she undid the bra and shivered under his touch. Not being able to fight the impelling desire that was taking over him, he reached for the button of her jeans and undid it. Sophie carved for him too. Her fingers made circular movements upon his chest, then on his abdomen. They explored each other's body for a while before she slid her fingers under his boxers, sending a shiver up his spine. He reacted fast to her touches. Noticing that, she placed herself on top of him and put her legs on his sides. Their lips met again as she used one of her hands to start pulling his boxers down. Langdon shuddered but managed to grasp her hand.

"Sophie."

"What's it, Robert?"

Even though he was sure there wasn't anything he'd rather do than have her that night, he needed to know that she was conscious of what was going on between them. He didn't want her to regret it later. She could read on his face that something was wrong, but he wouldn't tell what it was. Judging by her expression, he could tell she knew exactly what she was doing, and he'd better move if he didn't want her to be mad at him. Relaxed, Langdon let her hand go and resume what she had started. He smiled amused at the sight of her craving expression. Using her waist as a support to lift his own weight, he made her lay down and eagerly started to reveal the most secret part of her body. Soon there was nothing between them; they were being compelled to consummate their love.

"Sophie, are you sure you are ready?" he asked softly.

"Yes," she assured. "Just go slowly."

"I will," he promised.

They started to move in synchrony, Langdon being as gentle as he could. He wanted Sophie to be in heaven. Never a woman had made him feel so complete, so the least he could do was to give her his best. He could tell she was experiencing pleasant moments, yet her face was tense. "Am I hurting you?" he inquired worried.

"Not anymore," Sophie replied as their contact deepened.

He felt her body's resistance loosen and noticed her face relax.

After some minutes of profound intimacy, he could tell her moment was coming. They would get there together. Langdon didn't change his pace until they reached the culmination of their physical and emotional pleasure, when their body and soul finally became one.


	5. Candle Lights

**Keep reviewing, guys!**

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Five: Candle lights**

It was past dinner time when Langdon awoke with Sophie still in his arms. Even though he wanted nothing more than spend the rest of his life like this, his stomach told him it was time to leave the dream. So he carefully disentangled himself from her arms and legs, covered her and reached out to that oversized robe that hung on a chair. After a quick shower he called the reception to ask someone to bring dinner to their room. He presumed that, like him, Sophie wouldn't want to go out to eat. She woke up whit him by his side, reading that book he had abandoned on his nightstand the night before. It seemed he would never get to finish it in Florence.

"Hello, there," he greeted as she yawned and sat up holding the covers.

"Robert, it's late! Why didn't you wake me up?"

"Well, good evening for you too."

She smiled and kissed him. "Good evening."

"I know what you are thinking."

"You do?" she asked, resting her head on his shoulders.

"Yes. You are angry with me because we let us miss another meal."

She raised her head and looked at him, startled. "Oh, we missed dinner?"

"No," he laughed. "In fact, you'd better get ready if you don't want to eat cold food."

She was getting inpatient. "Robert, will you please explain? We are no going out tonight, are we?"

He had guessed right; she certainly wasn't fond of leaving their room that night. "We are going to try the famous Brunelleschi dinner right here tonight."

"Oh, but that's a wonderful idea. Do I have time to have a shower?"

"Go ahead."

Sophie made her way to the bathroom as Langdon once more told himself how lucky he was to have her with him for a whole week. But again, it was only one week. What would be of them after it was over? He didn't want to spoil anything, but they really needed to discuss it. Was he being too forward? Or too pretentious to think Sophie would want anything serious with him? Well, judging for the awesome afternoon they had spent in each other's arms the answer was yes. After all, he had seen everything he needed to see in her eyes, and one of the things he had gotten to know about her in the little time they had been together was that she wasn't a woman to fake feelings. This thought excited him, but, above all, it gave him hope. Still, what would the solution be? Who would have to give their life up to live with the other? Or would a distant relationship have any future? He was sure it wouldn't. He cursed himself for being so selfish, but what he truly wanted was that she would want to come with him to Boston. Maybe they would be able to find a good position for her as a cryptologist in their local Judiciary Police. She could even work as a teacher at Harvard University. Who knew? Langdon thought he was influent enough to arrange that. On the other hand, what if she wasn't ready to leave her homeland? Of course they would go there every time she wanted, and to Scotland too, but it wouldn't be the same. If she didn't want to move in with him, would he be ready to make a new life in Paris, or even Scotland? Little did he know that Sophie had similar questions going through her mind while she felt the hot water fall upon her body. Definitely they want to be together, and had to find a way to make it happen that would make both of them happy.

Langdon was so stuck in his thoughts and never-ending questions that the concierge had to knock twice. On the second knock the water from the shower went silence.

"Good, evening," the man greeted when Langdon opened the door.

Langdon searched through the trolley, but couldn't find what he was looking for. "I trust you bought that little souvenir?

"Certainly," he said, handing him the gift. He took a look around and found the dark-wooden table. "I presume you'll want to eat here in the studio?"

"Yes, please."

"I'm preparing the table. I'll only take a moment, you shall not worry."

Langdon put a fifty-frank note inside the concierge's pocket. It was too much, but neither did the man protest nor did Langdon care. "Thank you," he said before disappearing inside the bedroom and leaving the man to do his job.

When Sophie left the bathroom Langdon kneeled down in front of her and greeted her with a single red rose.

"A rose for a Princess."

She was wordless. As she brought the flower to her nose and smelled its delicate perfume, she thought it was all too much for her, that she didn't deserve that.

He was still at her feet, quietly observing her reaction. She was brought back to Earth when the concierge made a loud noise with the door.

"Thank you, Robert," she finally manage to speak, pulling him to his feet again.

"You deserve more than that."

Their lips met in a tender kiss. "Come, Sophie, dinner is waiting," he whispered in her ear as he took her hand and led her to the studio, where the only lights came from the burning candles on the table.

"We need to put it in the water."

"I'm sure it can wait a while," Langdon turned to her, realizing for the first time how wonderful she looked in a simple light blue dress that revealed most of her curves.

"_She never ceases to surprise me," _he thought as she sat on the chair he had pulled for her. He then took his seat across from her.

Sophie was amazed at the special dinner Robert had prepared for her. "I never thought I would see something similar outside the movies, Robert. Let alone that I would be one of the main characters," she said playfully.

"I must confess I had never imagined myself in a room like this one, and with the company of such an incredible woman."

He made her blush once more. "Robert," she said flattened, reaching out to take his hands in hers, which he gladly grasped.

"Now let's see what we have here."

They had a feast comparable to the one they had had the night before. Only the wine wasn't as good, but, according to Langdon, it was because Sophie hadn't chosen it. That dinner was the perfect closing to one of the best days they had ever lived; the food, the place, and most importantly, the company, everything couldn't be better. They didn't talk much during the meal, for no words would be enough to express what they felt right then.

"We must do it more times," Langdon said after his second glass of wine.

"Miss Dinner, you mean?" Sophie played along.

"Maybe," he said vaguely, entranced by her deep and mysterious look.

She put her own glass on the table, "Robert?"

As much as she didn't want to ruin that moment, she hated to like him so much and at the same time not know what would happen to them once that week was over. She had to ask, her nerves were killing her. Langdon didn't fell any different, but at that time, Sophie was the brave one.

"Yes?" He tried to read her eyes. Even though they hadn't known each other for long, their connection was already so intense that he knew he would guess what Sophie was thinking just by looking into her eyes. He was proud of himself to say that he was right most of the times.

"I'm afraid."

"Sophie."

"I don't want this to end, Robert," she told, her eyes wet.

There was nothing he wouldn't do to see her lips form a smile again. So he left his chair and went over to her, putting both hands on her shoulders and squeezing them so she would at least fell more relaxed. "This won't end if you don't want to."

She closed her eyes.

Thinking of a way to speak without sounding selfish, he went on. "I would be the happiest man on Earth if a certain Princess agreed to live with me in my modest castle."

That's was all Sophie needed to hear. She even forgot about the massage. "Robert, you can't be serious," she stood up and was face to face with him.

"Well, it's not exactly a castle, but it's very comfortable and-"

She still couldn't believe it. "Are you inviting me to live with you?"

For a brief moment Langdon thought he had misinterpreted her reaction.

"I hope you won't regret it," she said before pulling him in a tight embrace.

"You know-"

Sophie never learned what she knew. If he had any doubt about what she thought of his proposition, it was completely dissolved by the kiss she gave him.

"Is this a yes?"

"Do you need any other clue?"

"I'd like that."

This time it was Langdon who reached out to her lips. His hands were on her waist and hers on his back, holding him close to her, never wanting to let him go.

"So, Sophie, what would you like to do tomorrow?" he asked when they finally broke apart.

"Be with you." She needed nothing more.

"Other than that?"

"What do you have in mind?" she asked with that mischievous smile of hers.

"Well, actually I was thinking-"

"She was getting skilled at interrupting him. "Don't you dare."

"I wasn't going to say museum touring or anything of the sort!" he protested, making her grin. "In fact I thought you might like to rent a car and spend the day at the beach. But if you don't want to we can think of something else."

"That's a great idea, even though it means we are going to miss yet another meal here."

"Well, as long as you can prepare a picnic basket we are safe," he laughed.

"You are inspired tonight, Professor."

"_Wonder why?"_

"I won't disappoint you."

"Hey, I was joking!"

"But I'm not."


	6. A Day at the Beach

**One more chapter for you!**

**Summary:** This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Six: A Day at the Beach**

There is no need to say their night was just as wonderful as their afternoon. Despite that, Langdon and Sophie managed to wake up early so they wouldn't waste any minute of the day they had planned to spend at the beach. He tried in vain to convince her that a picnic wasn't a good idea after all, but her insistence was so striking that he ended up agreeing and even asked the Hotel staff if they could bring them a picnic basket.

"You won't regret it, Robert. This will keep us stuffed for the whole day," she said as they approached the rented car that was parked in front of the Hotel. Langdon had seen to that while Sophie filled their basket with food from the breakfast.

He didn't reply, so she supposed he had finally given in. "Let's put our bags in the trunk."

She observed as he proceeded with the bags. He was so funny in those sport clothes. Definitely sandals plus shorts and a sweatshirt didn't match a Symbology Professor. Sophie, on the other hand, was very comfortable and natural looking in her mini white skirt, pink tank top and rubber slippers.

Langdon opened the door for her to enter. While he went around the car to take his place on the driver's seat, she looked into the mirror and quickly adjusted her bandana.

"Do you know where we are going?" she asked when he turned the motor on.

"All the catalogues you brought tell me that Versilia Beach is the beast choice," he told. "Not too crowded, but still civilized."

"And how are we supposed to get there?"

He reached into his pocket. "I have a map."

"You don't expect me to give you directions, do you?" she laughed as her seatbelt was attached. "I wouldn't trust me if I were you."

"Oh, well, getting lost with you can't be that bad."

It was false modesty. Their journey took a few hours, but Sophie's skills at giving directions brought them safe and sound to the Beach. It was around eleven o'clock when they got there and, as Langdon had predicted, there weren't many people around. They rented two beach chairs and an umbrella and settled up a few meters from the water.

She sat on one of the chairs and put the basket under it. "We'd better protect this basket from the sun."

"And ourselves as well," he added, putting a Lakers cap on his head. "Did you bring the sunblock lotion?"

She put her bag on her lap and retrieved a white container. "All yours."

As he got rid of his shirt and plastered the lotion over his body, Sophie spread her beach tunic on the chair and started to get undressed. Soon all she had on was a tiny bikini, which didn't pass unnoticed by Langdon. She blushed under his penetrating stare.

Noticing her discomfort, he spoke, "Will you help me with this thing? I can't reach my back."

It didn't make her less embarrassed at all. At least she wasn't facing him anymore. Even though she knew that, considering the intimate moments they had already shared, it was an extremely silly attitude, she couldn't help it. "There you go, Professor."

He felt she was done with the lotion way too soon; he would never get tired of her touch. "Now it's your turn," he said taking the container from her hand. "Lay down."

He spent some good minutes spreading the lotion over her back. When she told him he was taking too long he replied saying it still looked too white, and she didn't complain anymore. When he finished his job she turned over to face him.

"Now it's you who are spoiling me, Robert," she said with that smile of hers.

"I am?" he asked curious. "Why?"

"Because after this sight,"- she indicated the horizon - "you'll have to take me to a beach every weekend. Are there many nice ones in Boston?"

Her question implied much more than Langdon realized in the first moment. Since he casually invited Sophie to live with him and she indirectly said yes, he hadn't really stopped to reflect on the situation. His life would never be the same again. Even though there was nothing he wanted more than to be with her, it scared him a bit. What about the practical consequences? How would they make it all fine for both sides? Was Sophie really ready to give her old life up and start a new one with him?

"Robert?"

"Yes?"

She didn't like his sudden frowning at all. "You didn't answer me."

He took her hand in his as to assure she didn't need to feel worried. "Sorry. Yes, I suppose there are." He took a full look at his surroundings. "But not as beautiful as this one."

"I'm glad."

"At least in this matter my place is better than Paris, isn't it?"

"There are many other things that Paris doesn't have, you know?"

"For example?"

"You."

"You can't be serious," he played leaning in to kiss her.

Before their lips met she managed to speak, "I am."

"Sophie," he started serious, getting her full attention and a somewhat disappointed look for the broken kiss. "I need to ask you something, and I want a truthful answer from you."

"Yes, Robert."

"Are you truly ready to leave Paris?

Sophie left her chair to sit close to him on his. She leaned on his shoulders, put a full hand on his upper chest and, not looking at him, spoke with the same seriousness in her voice. "You must think it's odd, Robert-"

"No, I just-"

She interrupted. "Please, let me speak." She was looking into his eyes now. "I think so, too. On the other hand, since the day I left my Grandfather, I had never felt as safe with someone as I feel with you. And it's not just about safety. I'm not sure I can explain, but you have everything I always looked for. And yes, Robert, I'm ready to leave Paris if this means being with you."

His eyes were wet. It seemed that Sophie had just described the way he felt about her. How could it be? "But Sophie, what about your career, your family in Scotland?"

"I never felt truly realized at DCPJ."

Yet another surprise. "You didn't?"

"Well, my job is fascinating, it's true. But my colleagues, some of them are unbearable."

"Tell me about," he laughed. Like most facts in History, now that everything was past, Langdon could see things from a different point of view, and how pathetic Fache's obsession with them had been. He didn't even need to ask who she meant. "What about your Grandmother, your brother?"

"We have always lived apart, Robert. Until some weeks ago I didn't even know they were alive. Why should I suddenly need them so desperately that I couldn't live without them anymore?"

"Well, you haven't known me for much longer."

"And yet I need you desperately?" she grinned, but soon changed her tone. "You know it's different. Besides, I can always go to Scotland on a visit, just as I would do if I stayed in Paris. Or you thought I would ever consider moving to the countryside? You should know better, Robert."

Bringing her closer to him, he kissed the top of her head. "As long as it's okay for you, who am I to disagree?"

"Exactly, you stubborn," she joked, hugging him tighter.

"But we do have to take care of the practical arrangements. What will your Grandmother say about your moving?"

"Robert, I'm thirty-two years-old, grown up enough to take care of myself and make my own decisions, don't you think so?" she let out a bit annoyed. Why was he questioning so much? "You don't need to complicate things."

He was now holding her in front of him, staring deeply at her eyes. "Well, I'm sorry. It's just I- like you said, it all looks so unreal. Too good to be true."

She held his look in a challenging way. "You like it, don't you?"

"Of course I do."

She smiled triumphantly. "That's all that matters."

He returned her smile "Yes, I suppose it is."

With that she kissed his cheek, returned to the other chair, laid down on her stomach and closed her eyes, the chin resting on her crossed hands. He mirrored her and the two stayed like that for some good minutes, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere and the warmth of the sun. Langdon was almost dozing off when Sophie spoke again.

"My skin is burning!"

He sat upright and took his cap off. "Do you want to go into the water?"

"Yes, but what about our things?"

He looked around and spotted a couple that was just a few meters from them. "Maybe they could take a look at our bags," he pointed out.

"Would you ask them?"

"Now you got shy?"

She didn't reply.

"Okay, but you come with me," he called and offered her a hand, which she reluctantly took. "After all, if they are Italian, we won't be able to communicate."

This thought hadn't struck her. "You win, Professor," she said grinning as they walked on the sand. "You try first," she whispered in his ears.

He cleared his throat. "Excuse me?"

The man turned to look at them, making Sophie sigh in relief.

"I'm sorry to bother you," Langdon went on.

The man stood up. "Do we know each other?"

"No. I'm Robert Langdon. And this is Sophie Neveu, my-" he wanted to say it, but wasn't sure if she would appreciate. Her expectant eyes helped him make his decision. "My girlfriend," he added, squeezing her hand.

"I'm Paul Turner," he told in an distinguishable English accent, shaking hands with Langdon and then with Sophie. As the woman stood up he introduced her. "This is my wife Angela."

"I'm pleased to meet you," Angela said shyly, looking between Langdon and Sophie.

This moment Sophie noticed a slight lump on her stomach, and, without realizing, she let out a genuine smile. Angela was pregnant. When the woman acknowledged the scrutinizing look on her and showed a sign of discomfort, Sophie turned away, wondering if one day she would be a mother too. Would Robert be a good Father?

"How can we help you?" Paul asked kindly, bringing Sophie back from her reverie.

It was Langdon who answered. "We were wondering if you could take a look at our belongings while we go into the water for a bit."

"Sure, go ahead."

Sophie thanked him and headed to the ocean still holding Langdon's hand. "Did you notice?" she asked the second before her feet touched the water. "Ouch, it's freezing!"

"You won't freak out now, will you?" he provoked. Splashing some water on her, he called. "Come on, Sophie!"

"You are a dead man, Robert Langdon!"

He run away from her, but her determination was so strong that he couldn't avoid being knocked down. He fell, but not without bringing her with him.

"It's not that bad, is it, Princess?"

Instead of replying, she grabbed his shoulders and stole him a kiss. "Now it isn't."

"You don't waste your time. But tell me, what was that that I should have noticed?"

"Oh, yes. Angela is pregnant," she replied, unconsciously bringing a hand to her stomach.

His eyes followed her hand. "She is? How come I didn't see it?"

"You men don't pay enough attention," she sneered.

He enlaced her from the back and they both made their way under the water, leaving only their heads and shoulders out. "But I thought they were on their honeymoon."

"Who said they aren't?"

This conversation went on for another half hour, until Mr. Turner came closer and told them that he needed to leave with his wife. Langdon and Sophie followed him to where Angela was waiting, retrieved their things and said goodbye to the couple.

"Are you hungry, Sophie?"

"Not really, but those sandwiches will do me some good."

As she prepared their late lunch he went to a nearby kiosk to buy drinks. Indeed, her picnic idea had been a good one after all. Not something he would do in normal circumstances, but who cared? At least for seven days all he didn't want was routine. It was past six pm when they finished eating. The sun was starting to set.

Sophie wrapped herself in her beach tunic.

"Are you cold?" Langdon asked concerned.

"A bit."

"I guess it's time to move, then. I don't like to drive at night, anyway."

They got dressed, collected their belongings and headed back to the car after returning the chairs. Langdon put their things in the trunk while Sophie made herself comfortable in the front seat. She slept almost all they way back. The only thing she did before dozing off was thank him for the marvelous day they had spent together. He told her she had nothing to thank for, for she had been the one responsible for making the day wonderful. She would have protested hadn't she been so tired. Every time he could he took a glimpse of her sleeping figure and told himself how lucky he was to have her. When they arrived, the people at the Brunelleschi guaranteed that they could take care of the car, that he didn't need to worry. Langdon only had to help Sophie get off the vehicle and guide her to their suite. A concierge helped them with their beach accessories.

They still managed to take a quick shower before someone brought them a modest dinner.

Sophie came out of the bathroom wearing her bathrobe. "You know, Robert, I do think we are despising the wonderful meals they serve in this Hotel," she spoke.

"It's not important, Sophie," he replied, moving aside to make place for her on the bed. They didn't want to eat at the table in the studio. "After all, we haven't come to Florence to eat."

"No?" she feigned surprise.

"Well, that was not the main reason. Or was it?"

She leaned in to kiss him hard on the lips. "This was the main reason."

"I just knew it."


	7. Conference Day

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Seven: Conference Day **

Langdon woke up in a mangle of clothes, sheets, arms and legs. His joy upon regarding Sophie was soon washed away when he remembered that this was the day of his lecture. He was scheduled to 3 o'clock, but he had been requested to be at the Conference Center by 1 pm, when the afternoon lectures would start. Mickey Mouse told him there were still five hours to go. They would have to hurry if they wanted to have breakfast downstairs.

Regretful, he bent down to disturb peaceful Sophie by giving her a peck on the cheek. "Good morning," he mouthed when her warm smile greeted him. "Up to a delicious breakfast?"

She outstretched her arms and let out a yawn."What time is it?"

"Nine."

"Okay, right," she thought out loud, reaching out to her inside-out bathrobe. After she had it on she kissed his mouth and headed to the bathroom. "I'll be ready in fifteen minutes."

"Sophie?" he called before she closed the door.

She stuck her head out. "Hmm?"

"Should I take for granted that you want to come to the Conference Session or it will be too boring for you?"

Now the door was fully open again. "Have it ever crossed your mind that I would miss the chance to watch your speech?" she inquired with hands on her waist.

He smiled. "I had to ask."

"You are too tense, Robert," she spoke one hour later at the Hotel Lobby. "Let's take a walk and see if some fresh air can help you relax. Come on."

He nodded and accepted the hand she had offered. They came back to that square and spent long minutes chatting, kissing, and watching the children play while pigeons flew over their heads.

Sophie raised her head, which had been resting on Langdon's shoulders for the past few minutes. "Robert, we'd better get going," she stated regretfully. "Don't forget we have to lunch before we leave the Hotel."

"I'm not hungry."

"You'll be when you smell the food," she laughed and used all her strength to lift him from the bench.

The meal was indeed good. They only wished they had had more time to enjoy it. When they realized how late it was there was time only to a quick visit to the room for them to brush their teeth and Langdon to pick his laptop until the taxi they had called was waiting at the front door.

"Do you always get that nervous before your lectures?" Sophie wanted to know. "God, your hands are all sweaty."

Somewhat annoyed, he freed his hands from her grasp. "I'll be fine."

"Here we are," the driver announced twenty minutes later.

Langdon paid him, took a deep breath and pulled Sophie out of the car. She cursed him for almost making her trip.

"Take it easy, Robert!"

An elegantly dressed woman guided them to the reception when they entered the mighty building. He introduced themselves to the receptionist, who gave him a badge that read _Langdon, R. Invited Speaker. _Sophie received one with the words _Neveu, S. Participant_ on it.

"Participant, alright," Sophie sneered as they waited for the elevator.

Luckily the conference was going to take place on the second floor, so Langdon didn't even have time to feel suffocated.

"Come on, participant," he called reaching out to her tiny hand.

They greeted some of Langdon's acquainted researches on their way to the Conference Room. The entire front and second rows had been reserved for the speakers and their guests. They sat and waited several minutes until the introducer started to speak to a crowded auditorium, welcoming everyone to the third day of afternoon lectures at the VII Annual Symbology Meeting. In that session, entirely dedicated to Religious Symbology, people would hear four of the world finest experts in the area. The man gave a brief introduction about each of the speakers and called the first one to the stage.

Russian Pavel Vashkov spoke for fifty minutes about the effects of Symbology on the Religion of ancient Europeans. He received enthusiastic applauses, answered a few questions and was substituted by Dutch Wilhelm Vogel, whose lecture went on about Religious Symbology in Modern Societies. It was a bit shorter than the previous one, but the several questions that followed completed the one-hour time he had to fill up. A few times during the lectures Langdon looked sideways at Sophie and was surprised to see that she was paying full attention to the speakers.

"Good lucky," she whispered in his ears when he was called to the stage.

From the moment the title "The Interpretation of Symbols and the Sacred Feminine" appeared on the screen, Sophie, just like everyone else in that room, was entranced by his words. If any bit of anxiety was still there, Langdon successfully hid it. The lecture was similar to the one he had given in Paris the previous month, added of a few topics about the sacred feminine. At first he didn't want to include them, but the organizers asked him to do so because of the incredible success his book had achieved among researches and the general public. Though he usually didn't like to go with the crowd, he owned that to his editor, who had supported him in this project from the beginning. So they had agreed that from the release of the book on, his speeches would include the sacred feminine as well.

Every time he searched for Sophie and their eyes meet she gave him an encouraging look that gave him renewed stimulus to go on for the following few minutes. She was the source of safety he had always looked for but never found.

The host had to tell the audience they needed to cease the applauses if they wanted to ask Langdon a few questions. Several hands went up when the word was given to the public, but unfortunately they didn't have time for all the answers. Sophie watched proudly as he played with the audience.

"Thank you, Professor Langdon."

Another session of applauses erupted as he thanked the audience for their attention and went down the stage back to Sophie's side.

"You were magnificent," she said, attracting some curious looks as she hugged him.

The next and last speaker was an Australian woman, Anna Hammond, whose lecture "Secret cults and their widespread hidden symbols" had the audience hooked for another hour. When she was done with the presentation and questions the host came to the stage one last time to close the session and invite the participants to the cocktail that would be served in another room.

Sophie couldn't help feeling a bit jealous when two smiling blond women came to congratulate Langdon for his speech and ask him to sign their brand new books. When other people came to him she finally convinced herself that it was part of the game and there was nothing for her to do or worry about. Even so, she wasn't glad at all.

"There goes the last one," he sighed. "So, Sophie, do you want to go upstairs to the cocktail or back to the Hotel?"

Even though she'd rather have him for her own instead of sharing him with all those people, she didn't know if it would be polite for Langdon to leave the building like that, without socializing with his colleagues. She decided to tell him what she felt. "I prefer to go back, but it will be okay if you want to stay a bit more."

"Back we go, then," he said as he caught her hand. "I'm not in the best of my mood to talk with them anyway."

"Are you sure? What will they think?"

"Yes, let's go."

The couple headed to the stairs before someone came to call them to the cocktail. Fortunately they were miles away from the Conference Center when his absence was first noticed.

Sophie had just threatened to raise her arm to a taxi when Langdon grabbed it. "Don't you want to take a look around and see if there is any nice restaurant nearby?"

"Why, yes, seems a good idea," she smiled and tiptoed to kiss him on the cheek.

He was faster, though. When her lips were about to touch him he turned his head and kissed her mouth. She didn't protest. They chose a cozy tavern where, according to a wooden plate, the best Italian bear was served. They had never heard that Italy was famous for producing good bear, but decided to take their chances even so. This time they ordered a generous dish consisting of meet and vegetables, apart from the bear, of course.

"It isn't bad after all," Sophie stated after taking a sip of dark beer from her glass.

"The food tastes fine too."

"It does indeed," she agreed. "Nice choice, Professor."

"Thank you, Princess. I feared it wouldn't be good enough for your taste," he joked.

Some silent minutes went by before she reached out to his hand and spoke again. "How are you feeling after the lecture, Robert, less tense?"

"Yes, always."

"You know what I feel like doing?" she asked between forkfuls of food.

"Tell me."

"Watch a movie," she informed him. "Do you think there is any movie theater in the surroundings?"

"I don't know, but we can investigate."

This time Sophie insisted on paying for their meal. She told him it was not fair that he paid for everything. He tried to contest saying he wasn't paying for everything, but, as she wouldn't accept his arguments, he gave in at last, not before adding, "the movie tickets are mine."

The waiter had told them there was a shopping mall just a few blocks away. Interestingly this week they had a special program that consisted of the showing of Latin American movies. Sophie picked one and waited as Langdon paid for their tickets. She pulled him to the last row of seats, where more privacy was offered in comparison to the middle and front seats.

"That was a tiring day, wasn't it?" he asked as they took their places.

"It's not over yet."

"You are right." Before she could make any movement he bent down to kiss her, unaware of the looks some people shot at them.

"You're definitely more relaxed now, Robert," she said as they broke apart and her forehead touched his.

He brought her closer to him in a tight embrace. "I'm glad now I have nothing to worry about but you."

"Am I a source of worrying, Robert?"

"I didn't mean that."

He didn't have the chance to tell her what he meant before the lights went down and images started to appear on the screen. The film went on for about two hours, but wasn't as interesting as Sophie had thought. Fortunately what mattered there wasn't the movie. She found it funny to look at Langdon and realize his eyes were closed.

"Robert?"

He sat upright, feeling embarrassed. "Hum, what?"

"The movie is over," she announced.

"Thank God. I mean- already?"

She pushed him softly. "You're a terrible liar."

"And you are terrible at choosing movies," he grabbed her hands before she could push him again. "Come on, let's head back to the Hotel."

"So you can sleep properly?" she inquired, freeing herself from his strong grasp.

"Not at all."


	8. Conflicts

**Summary:** This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Eight: Conflicts**

Sophie awoke in the middle of the night with a strange feeling. Doing her best not to disturb Langdon, she disentangled herself from his arms and headed to the bathroom, where she sat as she could on the cold marble bathtub. She didn't know why, but suddenly the fact that she was going to leave Paris for good in some weeks struck her as it hadn't struck before. Whenever that thought came to her she had took it in positively, as it always meant moving with Robert and starting a new life with him. Now it was different. Leaving Paris meant saying goodbye to her homeland, to the city she had grown up in, to her childhood memories. When her Grandfather was still alive and she lived alone in the apartment she had bought after years of saving, those memories had always made her feel sad. But now Jacques Sauniére was dead she felt guilty, and thought that by fleeing France she was betraying him. Was there a way to make up with him or it was just too late? Maybe reuniting with her Grandmother and her brother would be the right choice?

"_No!"_ A voice told inside her dead. _"Your grandfather is dead now. Besides, all he ever wished was to see you happy." _

"_What about my family in Scotland?"_

"_They love you."_

"_Then I should go there."_

"_Sophie, they love you very much to understand your desire to go for your happiness, even if this happiness isn't where they are."_

She felt sad for the relationship she could have had with her Grandmother and specially her brother but never had the chance to, and guilty for having realized now it was too late. She hadn't told anyone that, despite her excitement upon meeting him one month before, she had felt as if he was a strange, not the brother she had once loved and, even at early ages, told little secrets nobody else had the chance to learn about. However sad it looked, Sophie felt he would never be that friend anymore. Over the past weeks she had caught herself wondering if moving to Scotland would make up for the years apart, always coming out with a feeling that it was faded to failure, a feeling that she insisted on rejecting.

"_But-"_

"_Please, Sophie, don't choose the wrong way again, don't throw your life away for the second time."_

The conflict between her reasonable self and her emotions would lead her nowhere. She had always followed what the head told. Wasn't it time to change once in her life and give a chance to her feelings? Maybe this was how she would be able to find happiness. Robert was her way to reach it; she had tried it herself in the past few days.

"_I won't give him up."_

Even though Sophie had made up her mind, it was all too overwhelming for her to avoid breaking down. Deciding that a shower would help her refresh her thoughts and calm down a bit, she undressed, opened the hot water and stepped into the cubicle, where she quietly started to cry.

Meanwhile in the bedroom Langdon woke up to an empty bed. As he realized the pillow he had enlaced wasn't Sophie, he sat up in a startle. He was about to call out for her when the water noise made it to his ears. There should be no need for worrying hadn't it been 4 o'clock in the morning. What was happening?

"Sophie?"

No reply.

He knocked on the door. "Sophie?"

"Yes?" A hoarse voice answered.

"Is everything alright?" he asked worried, pressing his ear against the door.

"I'm fine," she managed to speak.

"What's happening in there, may I come in?"

Though Sophie didn't want him to see her in that state, the way he cared for her not only made her certain that she had made the right decision but also created in her a sudden desire to be with him.

"Yes," she replied at last.

He opened the door and, sticking his head inside the bathroom, spotted her wet figure through the shower door. She smiled shyly at him, as if apologizing for the situation she had built. He came down to her and looked deeply into her eyes, using no words to tell her it was alright but questioning why she had she had done that.

Water still run over her body. "I don't know what got on me," she spoke sliding the door aside. "I think I just got overwhelmed."

Sophie looked so fragile and helpless in that cubicle. "Come here, my darling." He used one hand to take her arms and the other to turn the water off.

She stepped out and buried her head in his chest. He didn't say anything as he wrapped a towel around her cold body. "You scared me."

"I'm sorry," she apologized looking at him. "I didn't want to wake you up."

"Don't worry. Are you alright now?" he asked, getting a nod from her. "Do you want to talk about what afflicts you?"

While she told him about the feeling that had struck her he gently helped her get dry and assured her it was alright to have such conflicting thoughts, for the situation was indeed very delicate as it would change their lives forever. Besides, he was feeling a little scared himself, but, as he told and she agreed, it was clear that they loved each other and were willingly to fight any obstacle that might come in their way.

"Thank you. For taking care of me."

"I will always do," he assured.

He led her to bed and, cuddling up to him, she could finally go into a peaceful sleep. The sun had been up for hours when Langdon woke up again, still holding Sophie. Looking at his bedside table and realizing how late it was made him wonder whether or not he should awake Sophie. After all, they had already missed breakfast, and he thought that she would do well with a little more sleep. He didn't know for how long she had been awoken before he got up a few hours earlier. Wanting to rest a bit more himself, he leant back and closed his eyes again. At half past eleven a striking noise startled the once sleeping couple. It took them some seconds to realize it came from the phone.

"Hello?" Langdon picked it up as Sophie straightened herself up.

"Mr. Robert Langdon?" asked the voice on the other side.

"Speaking."

"Good afternoon, Mr. Langdon. I speak from the reception. I'm sorry to disturb you, but there is someone here who demands to see you."

"Does the person have a name?"

Sophie frowned.

"He says he comes in the name of Steve Wood."

"Steve Wood?" Langdon asked surprised. _"What the hell is going on?"_

"Isn't he your editor?" Sophie whispered, receiving a nod from him.

"Tell him to wait, I'll be right there," he said and hung the phone up.

"Is he here?" she wanted to know.

"Someone in his name," he told, fetching a comb and heading to the mirror. "I'll go downstairs to see what he wants."

That was really weird. She was concerned. "I'm coming with you."

"You don't really need to," he said as he finished combing his hair and put the comb down. "I'll be back in five minutes."

"Alright," she shrugged and closed her eyes to receive a kiss on the forehead.

Not realizing it, Langdon went down the stairs quicker than he used to. When he arrived at the reception he was directed to a man wearing a dark blue buttoned up uniform.

"Good afternoon," the man greeted.

"Good afternoon. They told me you are here in the behalf of Steve Wood?"

"Precisely."

"Is there any problem?" Langdon inquired, concern evident in his tone.

"Not at all," the other replied politely. "I was told to give it to you in person," he said handing him a brown envelop.

"Is that all?" His concern grew into curiosity.

"I'm afraid so."

As soon as the man turned to go Langdon opened the envelop that enclosed two tickets and a letter. He chose to read the letter first.

"_Dear Robert,_

_I must congratulate you for the success of your book. I'm excited to say that it has made the top on the list of past month's bestsellers in the USA. Even though I expected it to happen, I never imagined it would be so soon. As a personal gift I offer the tickets you find along this letter. I don't want to spoil the surprise, I only tell you that the tour is a must for tourists here in Florence. I wanted to give them to you personally last nigth (the only I could spend in Florence) but you were too busy talking to fans after your splendid lecture, and unfortunately you never showed up in the cocktail, which, by the way, was delicious."_

_A sincere hug from your editor and friend,_

_Steve Wood._

_P.S.: Your girl is incredible."_****

Though short, the letter enclosed too many surprises for Langdon to take in at once. The most shocking was the fact that his editor had been at the conference and watched his speech. He cursed his so called fans for having kept him while Wood went upstairs hoping to meet him in the cocktail. If he only knew…Sophie would have understood. Second, his book was top seller in the USA! While most bestsellers took months to be discovered and make into the top seller list, his had made it in about a single month. His astonishment was as big as his excitement. As if it wasn't too much, Wood had given him tickets to a tour he didn't know much about, but had heard it was mandatory for wine experts and admires. He certainly was the latter. Last but not least, his editor had seen Sophie with him and, knowing nothing about the two, knew she was his girl. Reading the P.S., Langdon couldn't help feeling proud of her. He made a mental note to call Wood later that day.

Not wanting to wait any extra second to tell Sophie the news, he went upstairs in half the time he had gone down, almost bumping into a concierge on his way to the suite. She was already fully dressed when, catching up his breath, he knocked on the door.

"Why such a hurry?"

He didn't know what to tell her first. Showing her the letter would be a good idea hadn't that P.S. been added at the end. She saved him the trouble by taking the letter and the tickets from his hands. Terrified, he made her best to prevent her from reading the letter, but it was too late. As her eyes were trained to spot a P.S. in whatever she read, they quickly fell upon the last line of the letter, and she didn't even bother to read the rest.

"Now what is it, Langdon?" she cried flushing the paper in front of his face.

The sudden fury that took over her caught him off guard. "Sophie!"

"Showing off? Am I subject of joke now?" she yelled, her face red.

"No, Sophie, God, no!" He tried to hold her arms, but she managed to avoid his grip. "What is up with you, Sophie?" She didn't say anything. She just looked at him with an expression he had never seen on her face. He had never seen her lose her temper. "Will you please say something?"

"That Steve Wood! Who he thinks he is?"

Even though she hadn't told him what exactly made her so angry, he was pretty sure about the reason. "He just wanted to be kind!" he tried to explain.

"Kind, I see," she said sarcastically and backed off when he tried to touch her again.

"Will you please listen?" As she didn't tell him what made her so upset, he would try every way. "Wood is not just my editor, but a good friend too. He supported me from the beginning in this journey I was so scared to go on alone," he started. Though Sophie insisted on not looking at him, she was paying attention. "So it was natural that he got excited about my book being the best seller in the USA." Her eyes grew wider, and her expression, though still unfathomable, was different. "What is wrong with a gift from a friend, Sophie? I know it was childish to write about you that way, but it was only a way to say that he was happy to see me with you."

"Robert-"

He didn't let her speak; he wasn't finished yet. "It must have been obvious that I was happy with you. If you knew him you'd know it could have never been an offense!" he exclaimed, releasing a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

If Sophie hadn't read the letter now she knew. Her nerves had prevented her from being reasonable, but now she regretted the way she had treated Robert. "I'm sorry," was all she managed to say, still not facing him.

Now she had spoiled what could have been a great moment, but he wouldn't play the fool and let things get even worse. He understood she hadn't been at the best of her mood lately.

"Read the whole letter now," he said softly, reaching out to the peace of paper that lay on the floor.

Her expression told him he was right to think she hadn't read it all. Otherwise, from what he knew from her, and it was pretty much, there would be no reason for her to react like she did. When he was about to hand her the letter, she grabbed his forearms in a rush. "I'm really sorry, Robert." She needed to hear him say he had forgiven her.

"That's alright, Sophie. I'll get over it," he joked.

Her look was fierce. "Robert, please."

"No resentments, I swear," he said firmly, holding her look until he saw she was satisfied with his answer. "Now would you read the letter? There is good news."

Sophie finally took the paper from his hands. It was funny to see the changes on her face while she went through it; from seriousness and curiosity to proud, excitement and shyness when she read the last line again, now with a different perspective. "Robert, your book!" she exclaimed hugging him. "That's wonderful!"

He enlaced her. "I know! I'm so excited."

"You deserve."

"But Sophie, aren't you excited about the tour around some of Florence vineyards?" He held her waist and moved back a little so he could look her in the eyes.

"What makes you think that?" she asked mischievously, her hands on his shoulders.

"You seemed so interested in wine the other day at the restaurant. I thought-"

"You are right," Sophie cut in. "I like to learn about wine making and, of course, wine drinking," she ginned.

Now it was Langdon's turn to smile mischievously. "You know what? Steve was right."

"About what?"

"My girl is incredible."


	9. Some Shopping

**Thanks for your reviews! I know some fluff do you some good. Keep reading! **

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Nine: Some Shopping **

After what seemed to be a not so good way to start a day, Langdon and Sophie made up in the best possible way. One could think they were wasting time staying indoors in a sunny day in Florence. But not the two. As their last few days had been very busy, and the following would be just as full, they agreed that it wouldn't hurt to spend some relaxing hours in their room, having just each other's presence to distract their minds.

"We've done it again, Robert," Sophie said as her head rested on Langdon's shoulders and his arms went around her waist under the covers.

"What?" he asked lazy.

"You know."

He blushed. "Well, yes, we-"

"We've missed lunch, silly," she laughed. "Your mind is very dirty, Professor."

"You started," he defended himself and started to tickle her.

"That's not fair!" she cried trying to avoid his touch, but it only made him tickle her even harder. At some point his face was so close to hers that she could feel his breath. The odd situation made them stop for a fraction of seconds until Langdon leaned in to place a soft kiss on her lips, which she responded intensely to. Things were getting hot between them again when Sophie suddenly put her full hand on his chest and prevented him from kissing her neck.

He caught her hand, raised his head and looked disappointed at her. Sophie wouldn't fall for it. "There is something I wondered about last night," she started. "Your family, Robert. "You know so much about mine, but you never told me about yours."

"That's because my family is not as interesting as yours."

The look on her face told him she wasn't satisfied with his answer.

"Alright," he gave in. "Both my parents are still alive." As soon as he spoke it hit him. It must be painful for her to hear about parents. "I, I'm sorry." She told him it was okay, so he went on. "They live in Minnesota, where I was born. Besides them my only family is my sister Debbie, who moved to California when she got married. I haven't seen her since last Christmas."

"Is she younger?" Sophie asked interested.

"Yes, four years younger. There is her little boy too, Edward. He is so smart!" Langdon told proudly, making her smile broadly.

"I'd like to meet them."

"We can arrange to that," he stated with a thoughtful expression.

Every year he and his sister's family traveled to Minnesota to spend Christmas with their parents. The occasions had been rare when they saw each other in another time of the year, so he thought it wouldn't be a good idea not to be around in the last few days of December. Even though there was always the possibility of bringing Sophie with him, he was pretty sure that, after years, she would want to spend Christmas with her family in Scotland. How would they solve this problem? After all, they wouldn't want to be apart either, would they?

She had read his thoughts. "On Christmas, maybe?"

"What about your family?"

"That's a tough issue," she replied with a frown. "If only Europe and America weren't a continental distance from each other."

"If you agree, we can fly to Minnesota a few days before Christmas and then head to Scotland in time to spend Christmas Eve there." Before she could protest he continued. "I'm sure it wouldn't be a problem. It's for a noble reason after all," he smiled.

Her fingers went through his messy hair. "That would be perfect."

"Is it a deal then?" he asked relieving the good sensation brought by the scratching of her nails on his scalp.

She kissed his cheek. "Yes."

"Talking about families, I just remembered something I forgot to ask last month."

What else could there be about his family that he didn't know yet?

"Where does Sauniére come from?"

She pondered before replying, "I'm not sure."

"I mean, the name comes from your Father or your Mother?" he explained.

"Ah, my Father. Jacques Sauniére was his Father. I got Neveu from my Mother. She was Anne Neveu before she met my Father."

"It seems they've changed the name Saint Clair a long time ago," Langdon thought out loud.

They talked about their families until their hungry were so big that, by three o'clock, it was unavoidable to order room service. Some hours later they decided that it would be nice to leave the Hotel for a while, and Sophie suggested they went for some shopping. She told it wasn't included in any of the forbidden categories such as arts and relics. Besides, it would be their last day to go shopping, for the following one would be spent in that tour and, as they sadly remembered, the day after that would be their last day in Florence. Tons of bags were the least things they wanted to deal with in their last day together, as they still saw it that time.

A man at the reception recommended the Via dei Tornabuoni, also know as Florence's Fifth Avenue, as a great place for a shopping day. He said they would find anything there, from best quality leather goods to the best clothing boutiques and stylish but costly shoes. A taxi took them to the Avenue, where they could now be found inside a shoes store. Langdon held a few bags that contained two shirts and a leather jacket he had chosen and bought in less than ten minutes. Unlike Langdon, Sophie had been in that store for twenty minutes and still hadn't made up her mind. Fortunately, Robert was patient enough to wait. In fact, he even liked to see her surrounded by dozens of shoes asking his opinion about how they fitted her.

"How do these look on me?" she asked referring to a pair of red Gucci shoes that appeared on the mirror she was looking into.

"They are fine," he spoke uncertain. "But, er..will you have clothes to match them?"

She turned her head to look at him with of those mischievous grins. "I certainly will."

"Well, then-"

"But I think I'll take the black ones," she pointed to a black pair that lay among many others. "After all, Armani is Armani."

For his amusement those had been the first ones she tried on. "I'm glad you can choose quickly," he provoked.

"You'd better get used to long hours of shopping, Robert," she said as she took the shoes off and put her old ones back on.

"I guess so," he sighed. "Shall I pay now?"

"No."

"Pardon?"

She stood up and stared firmly at him. "Don't start again, Robert. I will pay."

"It's a gift, Sophie." Langdon left no place for discussion. "Will you please gift wrap those shoes?" he addressed to the sellers woman who had been on their service.

"You make me feel bad," she shrugged.

"You shouldn't. Besides, you have to get used to that," he mocked her and turned to go to the counter.

"I'm serious," she mouthed getting up to follow him.

"So am I."

They left the store and headed to another one that was on the other side of the street and sold all sorts of luxurious feminine clothes. It had been Langdon's idea to look inside. Sophie said she didn't want for she wasn't going to buy anything there, but he managed to convince her. For someone who didn't want to even look at the dresses, she was very excited holding two of the finest dresses she had ever seen, trying to decide between them.

"Which one?" she asked looking from the strapless black dress to the other, a classic sheath white dress.

"Why don't you try both?"

Langdon didn't have to ask twice. He watched her disappear inside the fitting room and found himself a place to sit. He hadn't realized how tired he was until he sat on the chair.

"Those dresses will look perfect on your wife," a heavy accented feminine voice startled him.

It was the way the old woman referred to Sophie that surprised him. "Excuse me?"

"Your wife is very beautiful, and she chose two of the most beautiful dresses in this store. That match will be stunning," she tried in another way, speaking as though Langdon hadn't understood what she meant.

"I agree, but…she is not my wife."

"Oh."

"_Yet." _

"You make a nice couple anyway," the woman said and turned away before she could get a reply. Her statement had given Langdon an idea he would put in practice as soon as he got the chance.

"Robert?" Sophie called from the fitting room. She opened the curtain a bit and stuck her head out to speak to him. "It's a Versace."

"I know."

"The price is outrageous!"

"Well, Sophie. It won't hurt just trying it on," he stated, but his words didn't speak his mind. His had plans for whatever dress she chose.

"That's true. Will you help me with that, then?" she asked and turned her back to him, holding the edges of the dress. "I can't fasten it."

He put their bags on the floor and fastened the zipper. "Turn."

She was stunning in the black dress. As the woman had said, it fitted her like a glove. Langdon was speechless.

"Is it that bad?" she asked trying to figure out his thoughts. The dress seemed alright to her, but what if he hadn't liked it?

"Bad? Sophie, it's perfect!"

She smiled broadly. "Does it mean I should take it?"

"Only if my humble opinion counts."

The other dress was just as wonderful on her. Not giving her the chance to be in doubt, Langdon asked the sellers man to wrap the clothes up and, once more under Sophie's protesting, bought her both dresses. To compensate for it they went to a nearby store for her to buy him a stylish and expensive tie, adding another bag to their collection.

"Look, Robert!" she cried when an ice-cream parlor came into her sight. "Let's have an ice-cream."

"I heard Italian has the best ice creams in the world."

She caught his free hand and pulled him to the parlor. "Come on."

Indeed, even the simplest vanilla ice-cream that Langdon had seemed to have come from heaven.

"What do you want to do next?" Sophie inquired before she savored another bit of her chocolate ice-cream.

"If I were to be honest I'd say I want to go back to our cozy room. But I might as well accept your suggestion."

"What suggestion?"

"Don't you have any?" he faked surprise.

"None at all."

"Let's go back, then. It's already late, and tomorrow will be a full day. The tour starts early, remember?"

She nodded.

"But I need to go to the restroom first. I'll be back in five minutes."

Making sure she was looking neither at him nor at the exiting door, he left the store and headed to a jewelry he had spotted just a few meters away and had passed unnoticed by Sophie. He had decided to buy her a gift that would be million times better than the shoes and dresses he had just given her. With the help of a woman in her twenties, Langdon didn't waste much time to choose a ring incrusted with a tiny diamond as delicate as its future owner.

"Are you feeling alright?" she asked serious when he returned. "What took you so much?"

"I had to wait," he lied.

The back seat of the taxi that took them back to the Brunelleschi was stuffed with bags, but the most valuable box was well stored in one of Langdon's pockets, awaiting to be the main character of a night Langdon hoped would be the best of both his and Sophie's lives. Unaware of the surprise that was ahead of her, she laid down on his shoulders and dozed off while his mind was taken with thoughts of a future he had never imagined possible but was right then pictured in the figure of the most amazing woman he had ever know. At that moment he was the happiest man on Earth.


	10. The Question of All Questions

**I'm glad you are enjoying the story. I'm sad to say it's coming to an end (this is the penultimate chapter). I hope you like it! Please, read and review **

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Ten: The Question of the Questions**

The ringing from the phone that echoed in Langdon and Sophie's room made them awake in a startle. Only this time it wasn't a mysterious visitor, but someone calling from the reception to wake them up, as previously arranged. They wanted to make the best of their last full day in Florence.

"What time is it, Robert?" Sophie asked masking a yawn.

"Good morning to you, too."

She leaned in to kiss him on the lips. "Better?"

"Much better," he said stroking her cheek. "It's seven o'clock, by the way."

"Oh, that early? Can't we go back to sleep?"

He freed himself from the covers, stood up and got hold of both her arms. "No, lazy Princess."

She didn't fight his gently pulling. In no time, they were fresh and ready for what promised to be a very interesting day, to say the least. The tickets Langdon had been given included transportation from the Hotel to the first vinery they were going to visit. So, around 8:00, a van on which one could read "Tuscany Wine Tour" picked them up and, along with a few other guests, they were taken to their first destination, the Castello di Verrazzano. Before reaching the castle they had to travel along a picturesque wine road, which was lined at regular intervals by characteristic cypresses and was an attraction by itself.

Besides Langdon and Sophie, the small touring group included two middle-aged women, a couple in their sixties and a young man that was no older than twenty-five. Langdon didn't like the way he first looked at Sophie, but didn't gave it too much importance at that time.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen," the guide greeted with a broad smile when the vehicle pulled up. "I'm Joseph, and I'll accompany you on the journey into what might almost religiously be defined as a temple of the cult of wine in all its forms. Our first point starts right here. Will you please follow me?"

Langdon caught Sophie's hand and waited for the rest of the group to pass before they entered the castle courtyard and admired the magnificent garden and the reserve of "verri", the wild boars from which, according to Joseph, the place took its name in ancient times.

After that they were guided to the marvelous terrace overlooking the castle's vineyards and estate, and Joseph talked for twenty minutes about the lands that surround it and the origins of the grapes that grew on their farm.

"It's boring," Sophie whispered in Langdon's ear, making sure nobody could hear her.

"I know," he squeezed her hand. "Just pretend you are interested and be patient. The best part is about to begin."

She did what she was told to. He was right; the visit got much more interesting when they entered the heart of the castle, where they could see the ancient walls that have formed the cellars since year 1100.

"Here you can see the enormous barrels and smell the vivid aromas of grapes and wood with which these particular wines have impregnated the atmosphere over the years," Joseph explained.

While the guide started another talk and Langdon couldn't concentrate on it his eyes were unfortunate to divert to the young man who, to his disgust, had been shooting Sophie engulfing looks. He came from behind her back and, enlacing her body, made it clear to the man he shouldn't behave like that and protected Sophie from his disgusting stare.

Unaware of everything, she covered his arms with hers and turned her head to face him. "What is it?"

"Nothing," he lied. "I just miss hugging you." It wasn't a lie, after all.

For the following hour they had the chance to admire the personal cellars of the castle owner and the cured meats, which, according to Joseph, had always been the ideal accompaniment to a good wine and helped to create the atmospheric flavors that could be breathed in the castle.

Finally, after becoming acquainted with the whole range of genuine goodies produced by the Verrazzano farm, they were guided to a large hall where, gathered around the fireplace, they could sample the best wines produced in Tuscany.

Joseph accompanied the group on their tour for three more vineyards not very distant from each other. By the end of the visit to the second one they were served a magnificent meal that matched perfectly one of the best wines they had ever tasted. It was already six o'clock when the van came back to pick them up and take them to the Hotel again.

Sophie collapsed into his arms as soon as they stepped into their room.

"You are not drunk, are you?" Langdon asked playfully.

"I may be, Professor. But not from the wine," she teased, closing her eyes and leaning forward.

"Really?" he kissed her lips, softly at first, and then passionately.

He brought her to the bed and, while she sat, he put his arms around her and sought her mouth again. "Would you care for a nice bath?" he asked in a provocative tone.

"I'd be delighted."

They disposed each other from their clothes on their way to the bathroom, and, once there, Sophie reached out to the bath plug and let the hot water start to fill the huge bath. They had a very long and pleasant bath. She gave him a great massage that made the slightest sign of tension disappear completely. His touch on her body wasn't less relaxing. When the water started to get cold Sophie said that maybe it was time for them to step out. Despite his will to stay in there with her forever, he agreed and followed her. After all, he had something much more special prepared for her that night.

"Will you choose one of the beautiful dresses we bought yesterday?" he asked while drying himself.

"Are we going to some special place?" she wanted to know.

"Not really."

"But-"

He kissed her forehead. "Trust me."

If he wanted her to wear one of those dresses, it meant that she should be as elegant as she could. It would take her some time to get ready, so she fetched the black dress, that hang in the cupboard, the black shoes, and asked him to get dressed and wait for her in the room. As good as she was with codes, she could also play a great dame if the occasion demanded. Therefore, forty-five minutes later, she stepped out and made Langdon's jaw drop. The dress looked even more beautiful on her than it looked the previous day; her hair had been carefully dried and was elegantly tied up in a bun; and her face had a light make up that only enhanced her natural beauty. The golden necklace she wore was like a cherry on the top of a cake.

"You look marvelous," he managed to say.

She blushed, but let out a smile. "You are not bad yourself."

Even though her lips tantalized him, he kept his composure and didn't kiss her, afraid that it could spoil her make up. It would have to wait.

"Shall we go?" he asked stretching his arm out.

She put her hands in his. "You still won't tell me where we are going?"

"Just a little more patience, dear Sophie."

It wasn't until several minutes later that she found out he was taking her to one of the most beautiful and, as he told her months later, expensive, restaurants in Florence. The table they chose was on a terrace whose sight comprehended a great area of Florence. _"A perfect scenario for what I'm about to do," _he thought.

The meal they ordered was superb, but Langdon didn't care; all he cared about that moment was the woman he had across from him at the table.

She looked at him with an intrigued expression. "Are we going to order any dessert?"

"Yes, but before that, I have an important question to ask," he replied as he stood up and went over to her.

He had attracted some curious looks. "Robert, please," she pleaded embarrassed.

He didn't give her attention, though. Instead, he kneeled in front of her and retrieved a small box from the inner pocket of his suit. Now all the looks were on the couple, and Sophie's cheeks were as red as the shoes she had tried on in that store the day before.

He opened the box to reveal the astounding diamond ring he hoped would be the symbol of the love they shared for each other. "Sophie Neveu, will you make me the happiest man on Earth by marrying me?"

She had forgotten about her surroundings. "Yes." Her gleefulness was evident as she watched him slid the ring on her finger.

Someone on a distant corner started to clap their hands. Soon all the terrace was cheering as Langdon stood up once more and took Sophie in a tender but long kiss.

"I love you," she whispered when they broke apart, her forehead touching his.

"I love you more each day, Princess Sophie."

He finally returned to his seat and asked her to pick a dessert for them to share. She chose an Italian Rum Cake that was as delightful as the food they had just eaten. Maybe it was so, but, to tell the truth, anything would be perfect then. When Langdon asked the waiter to bring the bill, the Maitre came seconds later and told them that there was nothing he should pay for. It was an engagement gift. After thanking the man with all his heart, he took Sophie's hand once more and headed back to the Hotel.

As she told him later as they were getting ready to sleep, no matter how happy she was with their engagement, and she really was, she couldn't help a feeling of sinking when she thought it was their last night together.

"Sophie," he started, sitting close by her on the bed.

"I don't want to be away from you, Robert," she said looking at her hands, fidgeting with the ring.

He put his arms around her shoulders and brought her closer to him. "It will be only a couple of weeks, Sophie."

"It's too much."

He was thoughtful now. "Actually I could make arrangements to have a few weeks off." Her expression was pure glee. "They own me some holidays, they sure do."

"What are you saying, Robert?" She couldn't believe it.

"Well, maybe I could go to Paris and stay there with you until you settle everything you need before moving with me. If you don't mind of course."

"Of course I don't mind," she said pulling him softly. "Are you sure you won't be in trouble?"

"Yes."

"You know," she started half serious half smiling. "After I quit my job, there must be someone to pay the bills until I find another one."

"Don't worry," he assured. Then, all of sudden, he got hold of her, lifted her from the ground and span her around the room, making her laugh like mad. They had a very proper way of celebrating the night of their engagement.


	11. Promises

**Hello, everyone! I regretfully inform that this one is the last chapter, and I'm sorry it's so short…I hope you enjoy reading not only this piece but also the entire story. Thank you for your kind reviews, they are greatly appreciated.**

**All the best, Aline.**

**Summary: **This is another fanfic for Robert/Sophie shippers. My vision of what could have happened in Florence. If your intention is reading mystery, adventure or thriller, you may skip to another story, for this one is pure fluff. I hope you enjoy it anyway!

**When Can I See You Again?**

**Chapter Eleven: Promises**

Langdon and Sophie had decided on not going out that day. The only time he left the room was at morning to go to a travel agency near the Brunelleschi and ask them if it was possible to change his plane ticket from Boston to Paris. If it wasn't he would just buy himself a new ticket. Luckily there wasn't any problem with the change. Their plane would leave at seven o'clock. Sophie had gone back to sleep when he returned to the room. She looked so peaceful that he didn't have the courage to wake her up. He just relieved the feeling that, from then on, he would see that angelical face every morning. After admiring her for what seemed like an eternity he pondered that it would be a good idea to pack so he could help her with her packing later and they would have more time to spend with more interesting tasks.

Sophie woke up a little later, confused with Langdon's absence. "Robert?" she called, looking around.

"I'll be right there!" he told from the studio. He had been preparing their breakfast table with food a concierge had just brought.

She got up, wrapped herself in her bathrobe and went over to him. "I'm faster," she said playful, kissing him on the cheek. "I'm sad this is going to end."

"What?" he asked as he pulled a chair for her to sit on. "My gentleman manners?"

"No. I hope not, at least," she grinned. "I mean the wonderful food."

"So you are saying I'm not a good cook?"

"I say nothing."

"So I might say you are going to have a good surprise."

They ate with gusto. Either their hungry were very big or the Italian bread, cake, fruits and even the milk they drank was delicious. Maybe both. They said almost nothing until the table was almost completely empty.

"We never know if we can trust plane food, can we?"

"It's not that bad, Robert. Besides, we still have lunch ahead of us."

He placed the napkin he was using back on the table. "That's true."

"I'm so excited about everything, Robert! I want to tell the news to my Grandmother and my brother.

Langdon felt suddenly nervous. _"What if they didn't approve our engagement?" _

Unknowing, she answered his question. "My grandmother will be very pleased," she told. "She loves you!"

"She does?" he sighed in relief. Even so he wanted to be sure it would all turn out fine. "Don't you think it will be too much of big news to tell them, the moving, the engagement?"

"No, Robert. I know they will be satisfied as long as I'm happy," she assured. "There is nothing to worry about."

He reached across the table for her hands. "And when will that be?"

"I was thinking of going to Scotland before we go to Boston for good. You will come with me, won't you?"

That was a silly question. "Of course I will. This way I'll be able to ask for the official permission to marry you," he said bending down to kiss her hand.

She remembered something. "Did you manage to change your plane ticket, Robert?"

"Yes, thankfully."

They talked for several minutes until Sophie decided that it was time for her to change into decent clothes. Even though they wouldn't be going out until later she didn't want to spend the rest of the day wrapped up in a bathrobe. Their lunch was served in the room as well. According to Langdon, they'd better make the best of their last Italian meal, so they ate until they were stuffed with delicious food. By that time all their things were already packed.

"What time is the taxi coming, Robert?"

"Five o'clock."

Since there wasn't much they could do until it was time for them to leave, she made herself comfortable on the bed, turned the TV on and asked him to lay down close to her. Even though they had cable TV, it was very difficult to find something good to watch. Not to tell that almost every station had people speaking Italian. After some unsuccessful attempts she gave up and turned the TV off again.

"I promise we'll have better TV shows in the USA," Langdon told.

She cuddled up to him. "I don't really care."

Before Langdon knew they were once again sharing a very passionate kiss. They made love one last time in Florence. This had been an incredible week, filled with moments none of them would ever forget, and that would make them smile for years to come. As they later liked to say, it had been their first honeymoon, and probably the time when their first child, Gabriel, was conceived.

** Fin **

**So this is it, guys. I'd love if you took some minutes to review and tell me what you think about this chapter in particular, and the story in general. Please, tell me everything! The bright and the dark sides, everything. You can even blame me. Seriously, I'd like to hear from you, as you are the ones I write for, and your opinions mean a lot to me. They help me see what I'm doing right and what I'm doing not so well. And, of course, they encourage me to write more.**

**Once more I'd like to thank you for keeping up with me. **

**Till next time, maybe?**

**Aline. **


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